Hiba Group

Hiba Utama was first established in 1949 under the name "Hiba," founded by Hermawan Singgih. In its early days, the bus company managed tourist bus services. As the business grew, Hiba expanded its services by operating shuttle buses and providing car rental services.^[5][6] When founded, the company started with 20 trucks as capital.^[7]

By 1973, Hiba was operating buses powered by Mercedes-Benz OM 321 engines and expanding its car rental services with a fleet of Ford Falcon and Datsun models manufactured in 1972.^[8] During that period, the company's headquarters and main garage were located on Jalan Garuda, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, which was the official location of the bus company's establishment.^[9]

Hiba, then known as Hiba Utama, was one of the companies Hiba Utama became a prestigious bus company in the Greater Jakarta area, although the journey to that position was not always smooth. On January 8, 1979, a hostage-taking incident occurred in which 12 employees took the company's leadership hostage, an incident that reflected the harsh labor dynamics of the time and demonstrated that the company had grown sufficiently to cause internal problems. As reported by Suara Karya on May 20, 1980, the case had not yet been fully resolved. During this period, Hiba Utama was adapting to the increasingly modern governance of the transportation industry, amidst demands for professionalism and increasing fleet expansion. ^[9]

Entering the 1980s, Hiba Utama's role in the Greater Jakarta transportation sector increasingly gained formal legitimacy. The company was recognized as one of the bus operators authorized to serve tourist transportation under the regulations of the Jakarta Special Capital Region Provincial Government. This recognition places Hiba Utama on a par with other major operators such as PPD, Big Bird, Arion, Permai, and Pluit Jaya, indicating that the company's service quality and operational capacity are considered to meet high standards.^[10] The government and public's trust in Hiba Utama increased when, when PPD drivers held a demonstration demanding the 14th salary on January 16, 1980, the company also deployed a support fleet to ensure passengers were still transported, even though it was not involved in the demonstration.^[11]

The growing trust was again seen when on June 8, 1980, Hiba Utama was trusted as the official transportation partner for the 1980 Exemplary Youth Election, by providing 25 tour bus for the participants' tour activities. The company then expanded its role in the tourism and logistics sectors. In 1987, Hiba Utama became a transportation provider for tourists heading to the Thousand Islands via Marina Ancol,^[12] as well as being involved in transportation to the Main Market with Kabapin Jaya and Wahana Jaya Baru. These partnerships demonstrate that Hiba Utama is not only a key player in tourist mobility, but also part of a logistics distribution system that requires precise and reliable fleet management.^[13]

Hiba Utama's role in seasonal transportation services became even more apparent when, in May 1987, the company was listed as one of the operators preparing an additional fleet to serve the surge in passengers during the Lebaran mudik season. Together with more than 20 other bus companies such as Pluit Jaya, Arion, ATS, Gumarang Jaya, and others, Hiba Utama operates with a standard tariff of Rp10.40 per km as stipulated by the Traffic and Road Transportation Agency at that time. At the end of the same year, Hiba Utama tourist buses were already used for tourist trips to various regions in Java, Bali, and Sumatra, supported by one head office, four representative offices, and bus garage located in Klender, Kemayoran, Kebayoran Baru, Grogol, and Tomang Raya. The company is also known for its responsiveness to the rainy season by regularly inspecting engines, brakes, and tires, in line with then-Deputy President Director Krisna Hidayat's special focus on driver safety and professionalism. ^[14]

In 1988, the daily newspaper Neraca reported that Hiba Utama buses were frequently rented for tours, from domestic and international groups to schools and universities. With a fleet of 170 regularly maintained air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses, the company emphasizes comfort and safety as its primary values. In addition to strengthening the fleet, Hiba Utama also formed a internal forum to strengthen relations between employees and increase productivity, as part of an effort to strengthen the company's foundation. All of these steps show how Hiba Utama developed as an important actor in the world of Indonesian tourism and logistics transportation in the 1980s, while continuing to improve the quality of service and human resource management.^[15][7]

Throughout the 1990s, Hiba Utama played a key role in the management of Jakarta's public transportation. Despite being an official operator with a strategic position, the company faced challenges related to its aging fleet, which was frequently targeted by other operators such as Setianegara and Sahabat Prima Abadi, as well as illegal public transportation. These unroadworthy buses posed a risk of accidents, prompting the Transportation Agency to frequently conduct joint operations and seal off vehicles.^[16]

On the other hand, safety issues also overshadowed the company's reputation. Two major accidents occurred during this period: an accident on April 24, 1990 on the Balonggandu bridge that killed nine people and caused traffic on the Jakarta–Cikampek Toll Road to be diverted to the Purwakarta–Subang highway,^[17] and a collision with a bus belonging to PO Muncul on February 12, 1997 in Brebes that killed five people.^[18] These incidents have intensified the focus on Hiba Utama's operational safety.

Despite facing various challenges, Hiba Utama remains involved in strategic public transportation policies. This company played a role in providing a fleet of assistance during the mass strike of MetroMini bus drivers on September 7, 1994^[19] and when diverting 110 PPD buses for the needs of the 1994 APEC Summit.^[20] Hiba Utama is also trusted as a fleet operator mudik assistance, especially during the 1995 and 1998 Lebaran seasons, due to its status as a large and licensed operator.^[21][22]

In January 1997, Hiba Utama received the Adikaryottama Wisata, which is the highest award in the field of tourism services. Hiba Utama is considered capable of maintaining its achievements for four consecutive years (Adikarya Wisata 1993–1996) as a provider of Tourist bus services that are considered superior and professional. This award was given by the DKI Jakarta Tourism Office, in an official event also attended by government officials, as a form of recognition for the consistency of service quality, contribution to tourism development, and its ability to compete and adapt to the needs of the ever-growing tourism sector.^[23]

Towards the end of the 1990s, Hiba Utama began expanding its business from tourism to regular bus services (urban bus and intercity). On March 24, 1997, it was noted that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Transportation Agency was processing a regular route permit for Hiba Utama. This is a prerequisite for opening the Patas AC service to answer the public's need for affordable transportation.^[24] Under the leadership of President Director Krisna Hidayat, the company launched three new brands—Laju Utama, Bela Utama, and Laju Prima—with the latter Laju Prima debuting in 2002 on the Merak–Bandung and Merak–Kampung Rambutan routes.^[25]

By the beginning of the 2000s, Hiba Group had a comprehensive range of services, including city buses, tourist buses, and intercity buses. However, safety issues and market dynamics still clouded the company's reputation: Despite its reputation as a major player in the history of bus transportation in Indonesia, the quality of its service and fleet safety were once under public scrutiny. Entering 2005, Hiba Utama faced increasingly competitive land transportation market dynamics, particularly in the urban bus segment. For example, in August 2005, the Hiba Utama P 125 urban bus route at Blok M Terminal was diverted from Blok M–Tanjung Priok to Tanjung Priok–Pasar Baru.^[26]

Even during this period, Hiba Utama faced criticism. In July 2008, a passenger complained in a letter to the editor on detik.com that Hiba Utama's service was still "far from adequate." They complained about delays, routes that did not comply with the agreement, and buses in poor condition, requiring them to be pushed in the middle of the night.^[27]

Despite this, Hiba Utama remains valued and respected, particularly through the awards it has received. On October 20, 2010, this bus company received an award from the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia as one of the bus operators that provided good service during the Eid al-Fitr transportation. ^[28] On March 16, 2011, the Ministry of Transportation awarded Hiba Utama a loyalty award for 30 years of service in the history of Indonesian bus transportation. ^[29]

The Hiba Group's intercity bus segment is projected to discontinue the use of the "Hiba Utama" brand and logo since its inception by Krisna Hidayat. Instead, the bus company will adopt a new brand and subsidiary. After establishing Laju Utama, Bela Utama, and Laju Prima on its own, the bus company has acquired routes and fleets from various other failing bus companies. Hiba Group is here not only to save, but also to become a business maneuver to strengthen the dominance of Hiba Group. ^[30] It is recorded that Hiba Group holds brands such as Murni Jaya, Setia Negara, Kurnia Jaya, Asli Prima, Hiba Putra, Berdikari, and many more. ^[31]

In response to numerous complaints about its aging buses, in 2016, the Hiba Group, then led by the fourth generation, Jacobus Irawan, undertook a mass fleet rejuvenation for its two flagship brands: Hiba Utama in the tourism sector and Laju Prima in the intercity and regional transportation (AKAP) sector. These buses use chassis from Hino Motors, while the bodies are manufactured at Laksana for Hiba Utama and Adi Putro for Laju Prima. Simultaneously, the Hiba Group also rebranded the Hiba Utama with a new paint scheme, known as "Hiba Utama Signature," with a purple base color. Irawan stated that by 2016, the Hiba Group had already operated a cumulative fleet of 3,000 buses.^[31]

Currently, the leadership of the Hiba Group rests with Irawan. In a historical advertorial written in Kompas.id, Hiba Group celebrated its 70th anniversary by emphasizing that the key to the sustainability of the transportation business is "working with heart" and consistency — this is realized through safe, comfortable, and quality transportation services since 1949. Despite facing rapid technological changes and customer demands, Hiba continues to prioritize customer satisfaction and keeps pace with developments with a 24-hour fleet monitoring system and smartphone-based services. In addition, Hiba Group also trains bus drivers through safety training. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Hiba Group, the bus company held social activities such as blood drive, visits to orphanages, and mechanic competitions to improve the professionalism of technicians.^[32]

For approximately its first 30 years of operation, Hiba Utama initially relied on chassis or completely built-up (CBU) buses from Mercedes-Benz. In an advertisement printed in Kompas dated April 4, 1973, Hiba Utama had operated buses with Mercedes-Benz OM 321 engines. At that time, Hiba Utama's main garage was still located in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.^[8] In 1987, this bus company had operated 170 buses, both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned and employed 220 employees. Hiba Utama at that time had operated buses from various brands, including Mercedes-Benz, Hino, Mitsubishi Fuso/Colt Diesel, and Isuzu Diesel. Hiba Utama's bus units at that time were large buses with 54 seats, medium buses with 25 seats, and small buses with 8 seats.^[7]

In the 2000s, Hiba Group was known to have various types of chassis. In Laju Prima, Laju Utama, and Bela Utama, there used to be production chassis of Yutong, Hino, Golden Dragon, and Volvo.^[33] Since the subsidiary of Hiba Group, Hibaindo Armada As an official Hino dealer, the Hiba Group naturally relies on Hino chassis for its new fleet. When launching the new fleet renewal for Hiba Utama and Laju Prima, totaling 130 units, the Hiba Group chose the Hino RK8 R260 chassis. Irawan stated that the Hino RK8 R260 chassis is relatively easy to maintain, and he has experienced the benefits of using this bus chassis.

For bus bodywork, since 2016, the Hiba Group has trusted Laksana and Adi Putro. When asked why they chose these bodywork companies, Irawan explained that the New Setra Jetbus 2+ HDD and SHD bodywork models were popular with bus operators and users at the time. However, the Hiba Group is still willing to operate their old buses, as long as they meet the service life regulations.^[31]

In November 2020, Laju Prima and Murni Jaya launched double-decker buses assembled at the Laksana bodywork company, adding to the fleet of intercity and intercity buses (AKAP) on the Trans-Java Toll Road corridor. These buses use the Legacy SR-2 Double Decker bodywork, but differ in their chassis: Laju Prima uses a Volvo B11R chassis with 430 hp and 1970 Nm of torque, while Murni Jaya relies on a Mercedes-Benz OH 2542 chassis with 422 hp and 1900 Nm of torque. These buses feature the "Hiba Utama Signature" paint scheme to emphasize the two brands' status as part of the Hiba Group. The interiors of both buses feature eight executive seats with leg rests, while the upper level features a passenger cabin with two-by-two seating without leg rests but with foot rests. This bus is also equipped with toilet facilities.^[34][3]

On December 14, 2022, 23 units Laju Prima buses and 12 units Murni Jaya buses successfully set a record of 1,000,000 kilometres (620,000 mi) without engine overhaul, along with Garuda Mas. Santiko Wardoyo, Operational Director Hino Motor Sales Indonesia, assessed that Hiba Group and Garuda Mas diligently carry out maintenance and always use genuine spare parts, so that business profits and vehicle operations are maximized.^[35]

In 2023, Hiba Utama added a new fleet with chassis and bodies made by Adi Putro and Laksana. From Adi Putro, this bus company ordered a Jetbus3+ MD double-glass supported by a medium chassis Isuzu NQR 71, so that despite its compact size it still looks luxurious.^[36] Meanwhile, from Laksana, another new tourist bus was launched with a body wrap Legacy SR-3 Panorama produced by Laksana, but supported by a Hino RM chassis, provides a combination of comfort and robust engine performance.^[37] On November 14, 2023, Hiba Utama released another bus from Adi Putro, this time the Jetbus5.^[38]

Hiba Utama, the Hiba Group's first bus brand, was founded by Hermawan Singgih in 1949 to provide tour buses and charters for personal and corporate events. Until now, Hiba Utama still consistently serves tourist buses, with rejuvenated fleets and also new units. ^[1] Hiba Utama also has a city bus service Jabodetabek and presents airport bus (JA Connexion) to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang City, Banten. ^[39]

In addition to Hiba Utama, Hiba Group also operates buses under the Berdikari brand. This bus brand is operated by Hiba Group's subsidiary, PT Karunia Berkat Abadi, and only serves employee and tourist shuttle services with large buses and medium buses.^[1]

Hiba Group entered the route bus industry in 1997, when the DKI Jakarta Provincial Transportation Agency was processing Hiba Utama's regular route permit.^[24] As a result, Hiba Utama has regular city buses and launched three bus brands that all operate as intercity bus: Laju Prima, Laju Utama, and Bela Utama. The three bus brands are directly held by PT Hiba Utama and PT Hiba Prima Sejahtera. The youngest of the three bus brands is Laju Prima; making its debut in 2002 through the Port of Merak (Cilegon, Banten)–Bandung, West Java and Kampung Rambutan routes.^[25]

The largest number of units are owned by Laju Prima, which is considered to have an excellent reputation among consumers, making it a favorite for delivering to their destinations. Laju Utama has West Java routes, such as Jakarta–Sukabumi, while Bela Utama serves intercity bus services such as Port of Merak (Cilegon City, Banten) to DKI Jakarta, DKI Jakarta to the East Priangan Residency, as well as all cities in Central Java. These three buses are characterized by a white base paint pattern with additional blue, red, and yellow accents, which taper to form an eagle's beak.^[1]

The history of Murni Jaya and Asli Prima's development is inseparable from the development of two bus companies from Labuan, Pandeglang, Banten, namely Murni and Asli (known as "Murni Putih" and "Asli Putih"). The management of Murni bus (which currently has the legal name PT Dwi Murni Mustika) is currently in the hands of the Uung Humaedi family, while the management of Asli "Putih" bus is in the hands of the Dedi family.^[40] It is not known when this bus company was founded, but it was recorded that in 1981 PO Murni was led by Sugianto. Rustiandi.^[41] The only main route owned by these two bus companies is Labuan, Banten–Kalideres Bus Terminal, Jakarta. In the early days of its operation, Murni's buses were known for their reckless driving reputation, earning them the nickname "White Killer".^[42]

Following the acquisition of part of its fleet by the Hiba Group in 2010, Murni and Asli split into two units: "Murni Putih" and "Asli Putih," each owned by the previous owner, and "Murni Jaya" (PT Murni Anugrah Jaya Usaha) and "Asli Prima" (PT Asli Prima Inti Karya), which became subsidiaries of the Hiba Group. The two buses began to be differentiated, with Murni Jaya using the color red^[42] and Asli Prima using the color green salted egg.^[43] After the acquisition of some of the bus units, Murni Banten actually experienced turmoil, especially in 2020. During The The Covid-19 pandemic, the transportation business is being hit even harder. On April 7, 2020, bus operators and crews from Murni Putih, Asli Putih, Murni Jaya, and Asli Prima approached the Pandeglang Regency Transportation Agency to reject the plan to move departures to the Kadubanen Terminal. They fear the change will cut passenger fares and weaken the company's competitiveness.^[40] On May 13, 2020, the management of PO Murni Putih expressed "jealousy" of Murni Jaya because it had not received stimulus assistance from the government of Rp. 600,000 for three months, while Murni Jaya drivers and employees were already registered in the police data.^[44]

Apart from managing the Banten route, Murni Jaya also manages the bus route DKI Jakarta–Yogyakarta and cities in Central Java. Murni Jaya serves economy and executive classes.^[1] On March 21, 2012, the Ministry of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia awarded Asli Prima the Best Economy Class Intercity and Regional Transportation Service in the Large Company category.^[45]

Other bus companies and brands that are also part of the Hiba Group (and some of which are either acquired in whole or in part by the Hiba Group) are:^[1]

• Bayu Megah: Intercity bus between Jakarta and Grobogan Regency, Central Java (acquisition of the company, formerly known as Jaya Bakti).
• Hiba Prima: Intercity bus between Sukabumi City, West Java, and Jakarta. Operated by PT Hiba Prima Sejahtera.
• Hiba Putra: Intercity bus between Bandung City and Sukabumi, West Java, Central Java, and Yogyakarta Special Region. Operated by PT Hidup Baru Putra.
• Kurnia Jaya: Intercity bus between Jakarta and Banyumas Residency and Pekalongan City, Central Java.
• Pandu Jaya: Intercity bus between Jakarta and Sukabumi, West Java.
• Putri Jaya: Intercity bus from Brebes Regency with one of its flagship routes being Indramayu Regency–Jakarta. Partial fleet acquisition; the fleet not acquired by the Hiba Group remains with the previous owner. Operated by PT Putri Jaya Sejahtera.
• Restu Jaya: Intercity bus between Bandung and Sukabumi, West Java.
• Setia Negara: Intercity bus between Kuningan Regency, West Java, and Jakarta. Partial fleet acquisition; the fleet not acquired by the Hiba Group remains under the Setianegara brand. Operated by PT Setia Negara.
• Wanaraja: Intercity bus between Merak Port, Cilegon City, Banten, Bandung City, and Garut Regency, West Java, and Jakarta. Operated by PT Hidup Baru Putra (Hiba Putra).

During Krisna Hidayat's leadership, the Hiba Group expanded beyond its bus business. Hidayat is also known to have developed several other businesses, including taxis, under the brand name Taxiku. Taxiku positions itself as a low-cost taxi operating in Jabodetabek.^[46] Taxiku was founded in October 2002, using fleets such as Kia Rio SF and Chevrolet Lova and appearing in yellow. Taxiku even offers interesting features, such as free toll fees for traveling to the airport. However, Taxiku closed in 2017 due to competition from the increasingly mushrooming ride-sharing companies .^[47]

Hiba Group also has a subsidiary called PT Hibaindo Armada Motor, the official dealer for Hino Motors. Since 2016, the company has moved its showroom from the Hiba Utama main garage complex on Jalan Raya Bekasi km 17, Klender, Duren Sawit, East Jakarta to the Hiba AKAP garage on Jalan Raya Bekasi km 22, Cakung, East Jakarta.^[48] As As a Hino dealer, the Hiba Group automatically relies on Hino chassis for its bus fleet. ^[31]

In addition, the Hiba Group also owns a car rental company called Hibarent (PT HRC Prima Sejahtera), as well as a cargo, courier, and logistics company called Hiba Logistics or Hi-Log (PT Hiba Logistik). ^[30]